FIG. 1 shows a simple videoconference system where a near-end conferee or person 100 is communicating with a far-end person or conferee 102. Each person uses a video conference terminal that may include a display 104, 106 and a video camera 108, 110. Each person 100, 102 sees on their display 104, 106 an image 112, 114 of the other person 102, 100 in video provided by the other videoconference terminal's camera 108, 110.
In practice, videoconferencing systems are constructed with a diverse range of hardware components, software features, communication interfaces, and protocols. Videoconference terminals may have multiple cameras or displays, varying means of communication, and so on. Some terminals are specialized hardware devices with a dedicated camera, display, microphone, circuitry, and telephonic communication equipment. Other terminals are general purpose computers equipped with peripheral cameras, displays, etc. Others may be a hybrid of the two. While configurations vary, the basic design of most videoconference system involves the transmitted exchange and display of video signals between distanced conferees, with each conferee seeing real-time video of the other conferee.
FIG. 2 shows a video conference system where the near-end person 100 moves outside the field of view of the near-end camera 108. One problem with videoconferencing systems, in particular when used for one-on-one communication, is that as the near-end person 100, for example, moves around the near-end camera 108 of the near-end terminal, the person may move to the outer areas of the camera's field of view (the area between the dashed arrows originating at camera 108). The far-end person 102 will see on their display 106 video where the image 114 of the near-end person 100 is fully or partly out of view.
To solve this problem, videoconferencing systems have locally displayed the locally captured video in a separate local window 120, thus enabling a conferee to see how he or she is positioned within the camera's field of view and giving an idea of what the remote conferee is seeing. However, this approach may produce an unsatisfactory user experience.
Techniques discussed below relate to providing to a conferee visual feedback that changes to reflect the conferee's changing position relative to the conferee's local camera or videoconference terminal.